Foundation for Chiropractic Progress, Institute of Medicine, IOM, physical activity

July 5, 2013 — The Foundation for Chiropractic Progress (F4CP), a not-for-profit organization dedicated to raising awareness about the value of chiropractic care, commends the Institute of Medicine (IOM) for its report, Educating the Student Body: Taking Physical Activity and Physical Education to School, issued May 23, 2013. Included in the report are recommendations to strengthen and improve programs and policies for physical activity and education in the school environment — including before, during and after school.

“Doctors of Chiropractic serve at the frontlines in the battle against childhood obesity,” states Gerard Clum, DC, spokesperson, F4CP, adding that in the U.S. alone, 12.5 million children are obese and another third are overweight. “Physical activity and education are critical to a child’s physical, cognitive and emotional development as well as to academic success, and the F4CP strongly supports its inclusion in schools.”

The IOM, a nonprofit organization that works outside of government to provide unbiased and authoritative advice related to healthcare, advises that younger students get at least 30 minutes of physical activity per school day, and older students, a minimum of 45 minutes. In the U.S., only eight percent of elementary schools, 6.4 percent of middle schools and 5.8 percent of high schools provide daily physical education to its students, according to an earlier report of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

“The F4CP supports the IOM initiatives to educate the public on the importance of physical activity and good health,” adds Clum. “With sufficient physical activity and key behavioral changes, such as healthier food choices and attention to weight management goals, America’s youth will improve in areas of fitness, academics, self-esteem and physical performance, while lowering risks of obesity and type 2 diabetes.”

Source: Foundation for Chiropractic Progress, f4cp.com